Information processing apparatus with hibernation function

Abstract

Upon receiving a pre-processing interrupt signal for starting hibernation from a battery driving control unit via an I/F, a control means turns on the panel power supply of a display unit as part of a power saving function via a power saving control unit to drop the battery voltage to a hibernation start voltage, thus executing forced hibernation. After that, upon receiving an interrupt signal for starting hibernation, the control unit starts a storage means (HDD) via the power saving control unit to control forced hibernation.

I claim: 
     
       1. A hibernation control method in a battery drivable information processing apparatus with a hibernation function as a suspend/resume function which sets a suspend state by storing active data in a hard disk drive and shutting down a power supply of a system, and resumes the data stored in the hard disk drive after power ON, comprising the steps of: monitoring a capacity of a battery in a battery driving mode;   increasing a discharge current of the battery upon detecting a specific state in which a remaining capacity of the battery is small; and   thereafter executing forced hibernation.   
     
     
       2. A hibernation control method in an information processing apparatus that is capable of executing a power saving function and a hibernation function as a suspend/resume function which sets a suspend state by storing active data in a hard disk drive and shutting down a power supply of a system, and resumes the data stored in the hard disk drive after power ON in a battery driving mode, comprising the steps of: monitoring a battery state in the battery driving mode in which the power saving function is active; and   dropping a battery voltage to a hibernation start voltage by canceling some or all power saving states of the power saving function upon detecting a specific battery state near a low battery state to execute forced hibernation.   
     
     
       3. A hibernation control method in an information processing apparatus that is capable of executing a power saving function and a hibernation function as a suspend/resume function which sets a suspend state by storing active data in a hard disk drive and shutting down a power supply of a system, and resumes the data stored in the hard disk drive after power ON in a battery driving mode, wherein a discharge current is increased in the battery driving mode in which the power saving function is active, so as to suppress abrupt load variations upon execution of forced hibernation from a low load state during the power saving operation and to minimize a variation width of a battery voltage due to different discharge characteristics of batteries, thereby setting a lowest voltage level that allows battery driving at low potential and prolonging a battery driving time.   
     
     
       4. An electronic equipment that is capable of executing a power saving function and a hibernation function as a suspend/resume function which sets a suspend state by storing active data in a hard disk drive and shutting down a power supply of a system, and resumes the data stored in the hard disk drive after power ON in a battery driving mode, comprising: discharge means for suppressing abrupt load variations upon execution of forced hibernation from a low load state during the power saving operation in the battery driving mode in which the power saving function is active; and   control means for starting execution of hibernation on the basis of a battery voltage upon variations of a load by said discharge means.   
     
     
       5. An equipment according to claim 4, wherein the battery comprises a lithium secondary battery. 
     
     
       6. An equipment according to claim 4, wherein a discharge current of the battery is increased by current load means including at least one of means for applying a current load by controlling a CPU clock, means for applying a current load by controlling an operation of a display panel, and means for applying a current load by controlling an operation of a sound circuit, thereby dropping the battery voltage to a hibernation start voltage. 
     
     
       7. A battery drivable electronic equipment with a hibernation function as a suspend/resume function which sets a suspend state by storing active data in a hard disk drive and shutting down a power supply of a system, and resumes the data stored in the hard disk drive after power ON in a battery driving mode, comprising: means for monitoring a battery capacity in the battery driving mode; and   means for, when said monitoring means detects a specific battery state with a small remaining capacity, applying a predetermined current load to drop a battery voltage to a hibernation start voltage so as to execute hibernation, whereby a lowest voltage level that allows battery driving is set at low potential and a battery driving time is prolonged.   
     
     
       8. An equipment according to claim 7, wherein the battery comprises a lithium secondary battery. 
     
     
       9. An equipment according to claim 7, wherein a discharge current of the battery is increased by current load means including at least one of means for applying a current load by controlling a CPU clock, means for applying a current load by controlling an operation of a display panel, and means for applying a current load by controlling an operation of a sound circuit, thereby dropping the battery voltage to the hibernation start voltage. 
     
     
       10. A battery drivable electronic equipment with a hibernation function as a suspend/resume function which sets a suspend state by storing active data in a hard disk drive and shutting down a power supply of a system, and resumes the data stored in the hard disk drive after power ON in a battery driving mode, comprising: a battery driving controller for monitoring a battery state;   at least one load circuit as a target of a power saving function; and   a controller for controlling execution of hibernation,   wherein upon receiving a detection signal of a predetermined battery state near a low battery state from said battery driving controller, said controller cancels a power saving mode of said at least one load circuit in the power saving mode to increase a battery driving current and to drop a battery voltage to a hibernation start voltage so as to start hibernation.   
     
     
       11. An equipment according to claim 10, wherein the battery comprises a lithium secondary battery. 
     
     
       12. An equipment according to claim 10, wherein a discharge current of the battery is increased by current load means including at least one of means for applying a current load by controlling a CPU clock, means for applying a current load by controlling an operation of a display panel, and means for applying a current load by controlling an operation of a sound circuit, thereby dropping the battery voltage to a hibernation start voltage.